Before crafting your updo, Hong also recommends applying a styling spray or mousse to smooth and prep your hair. Another pro tip: “For fine hair that needs extra volume at the base, use the Mint Crimper to create at texture at the base of the hair for natural volume and extra grip for the pin to hold.”
How to put your hair up using a French pin, step by step
Below, Hong walks us through his techniques for creating two simple updos using a French pin.
Simple bun
Step 1
Pull your hair into a low, mid, or high ponytail based on where you want the bun to sit. Hold your hair firmly in one hand.
Step 2
Twist the ponytail around itself until a ballerina-style bun is formed.
Step 3
Hold the pin almost flat against your head, then gently slide the pin into the outer surface of the bun. If the pin is curved, position it so that it is curving upward or away from your head, not toward it.
Step 4
Scoop a small amount of hair close to the scalp, then rotate the pin 180°.
Step 5
Push the pin back in the direction of the bun to secure the bun or chignon. Make sure that it feels secure, then finish with a flexible-hold hairspray.
French twist
Step 1
Use both hands to gather your hair into a ponytail hair at the nape of your neck.
Step 2
Start to twist your hair upward against against your head. Stop when you’ve reached the spot where you want the top of your style to hit.
Step 3
Tuck your ends into the twist and use your fingers to refine the shape, folding the entire twist inward. Hold the twist securely with one hand.
Step 4
Insert the pin (curve facing outward, points facing up) by sliding it into the top layer of the roll of hair. Be careful not to insert the pin too close to your scalp initially, as this can lead to tension when you rotate it.
Step 5
When most of the pin is inserted in your twist, scoop it closer to your scalp. Rotate it 180° (or until you start to feel resistance), then push it back into the twist. This technique will create enough tension for the style to hold, whereas simply sticking the pin into your twist would cause it to fall.